Real Madrid's pre-season preparations are in full swing, highlighted by a recent friendly match against Hungarian side Ferencvaros. The fixture, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Real Madrid, marked the debut of Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva among other new arrivals.
Bernardo featured for the entirety of the second half, but new manager Jose Mourinho was quick to point out that his compatriot is still short of full fitness. Speaking to Real Madrid TV after the game, Mourinho offered a candid assessment of the midfielder's physical state, noting that he had only recently returned from his summer holidays.
"Bernardo has not had minutes and has only had a couple of days of training. It's very important, but the poor thing has had vacations," Mourinho said, in comments reported by Diario SPORT. "It is good for him not to do anything during the holidays and he has presented himself in a lower physical condition than he usually has and he has to grow, but he is a tremendous player."
Mourinho balanced his critique by praising Bernardo's tactical versatility. As the match progressed, the manager adjusted the player's role to accommodate his current physical limits. "He gives us the ball out, he can play as a 6, as an 8. During the match I understood that he lacked physical strength and I put him in 10," Mourinho explained. "It's another position that Bernardo can play well. For a coach it is perfect to have someone who plays well in three or four positions."
Real Madrid has experienced an active summer transfer window, securing signings such as Bernardo, Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, and Carlos Espi. Despite these additions, Mourinho made it clear that he wants another signing in the midfield who can offer the same flexibility as Bernardo. This target has become more pressing following Rodri's decision to sign with rivals Barcelona instead of Real Madrid.
"We want a short squad, with 20 players plus the injured ones, which we have for some time, such as Rodrygo, Militao, Ferland (Mendy). We also need a player who can do what Bernardo does, which is play in different positions," Mourinho stated.
Real Madrid has two remaining pre-season friendlies scheduled, facing Deportivo de A Coruna on August 12 and Schalke 04 on August 16. They will officially open their LaLiga campaign on August 22 with an away match against Espanyol. Meanwhile, speculation continues across Europe as experts are predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for.
In other football news, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison was denied a big moment on his return from injury. The Premier League has issued a statement explaining why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty in their draw against Leeds. Additionally, Bento's howler has delayed CR7's first title in Saudi Arabia. An ugly mistake by Brazilian goalkeeper Bento prevented Al-Nassr from winning the Saudi League title this Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo's team was leading 1-0 until the 53rd minute of the second half, but the error proved costly.
Silva must get back to his full fitness. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
Whether another midfielder walks through the door before then remains to be seen, but Mourinho has certainly made his stance clear.
